A bogey is 1 stroke over par. If a hole is par-4, a bogey is 5 strokes. It's the most common score for mid-handicap amateurs on most holes.
Double bogey is 2 over par. Triple bogey is 3 over. These add up fast. Eliminating double bogeys does more for your score than adding birdies.
Where the name comes from
The term "bogey" dates to the 1890s in Britain. It originally meant the ideal score for a hole, similar to what we now call par. The name came from "The Bogey Man," a popular song at the time. When the concept of par was formalized in the early 1900s, bogey shifted to mean 1 over par.
In British golf, "Colonel Bogey" was the imaginary player you were competing against. The phrase stuck, and eventually bogey settled into its current meaning worldwide.
Bogey scoring in context
| Score | Relation to par | Typical for |
|---|---|---|
| Birdie | -1 | Strong hole for any player |
| Par | 0 | Expected for skilled players |
| Bogey | +1 | Average hole for 15-20 handicaps |
| Double bogey | +2 | Average hole for 25+ handicaps |
A "bogey golfer" shoots around 90 on a par-72 course, averaging 1 over par per hole. That's roughly a 17-20 handicap.
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How common are bogeys?
PGA Tour players make bogey on about 15-20% of holes. A 15-handicap amateur makes bogey on roughly 35-45% of holes. For beginners (30+ handicap), bogey is actually a good result on most holes.
The difference between a 10 handicap and a 20 handicap usually isn't birdies. It's the number of double and triple bogeys. A 10-handicap makes about 2-3 doubles per round. A 20-handicap makes 5-7.
5 ways to make fewer bogeys
1. Stay out of trouble
Most bogeys start with a tee shot in the rough, trees, or a hazard. If a hole has water on the left, aim right-center. If the fairway narrows at 250 yards and you hit it 240, use the driver. If you hit it 260, consider a 3-wood to stay short of the trouble.
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2. Take your medicine
When you're in the trees, pitch out sideways. Don't try the hero shot through a 3-foot gap between two oaks. The hero shot works 1 in 10 times. The other 9 cost you another stroke.
3. Improve your short game
Getting up and down (chipping or pitching close, then 1-putting) saves pars. PGA Tour players get up and down about 60% of the time. Most amateurs are under 30%. Practice chip shots from 20-30 yards with a pitching wedge until you can land them within 6 feet consistently.
4. Avoid 3-putts
A 3-putt turns a potential par into a bogey. Practice lag putting from 30-40 feet. The goal is getting every long putt within 3 feet, not holing it. If you can eliminate 3-putts, you'll drop 3-5 strokes per round.
5. Play the right tees
If the course is too long for your game, every hole becomes harder. Play from tees that match your driving distance. A general guide: if you hit your driver 200 yards, play a course that's 5,800-6,200 yards total.
For more on building a consistent game, see our beginner's guide and scoring terms guide.
FAQ
Is a bogey bad?
Depends on your level. For a 20-handicap, bogey is average. For a scratch golfer, it's a lost stroke. Context matters. If you're new, making bogey on a tough par-4 is solid.
What's a bogey golfer?
Someone who averages about 1 over par per hole, shooting around 89-92 on a par-72 course. That's roughly a 17-20 handicap, which is close to the average male golfer.
What's worse than a bogey?
Double bogey (+2), triple bogey (+3), quadruple bogey (+4). After that, most golfers stop counting names and just write the number.
